RUSSIAN VIEW

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 November 1942, Page 4

RUSSIAN VIEW

OF THE PACIFIC CAMPAIGN JAPAN ON THE DEFENSIVE. WEAKENING OF HER NAVAL POWER. The hill of the past two months in the Pacific theatre has been broken only by the Midway naval battle, the Japanese landing on the Aleutian Islands and the Allied offensive in the Solomon Islands, (Colonel M. Tolchenov, of the Red Army, writes in “Soviet War News” towards the end of last August). The struggle for Port Morseby, which began over six months ago, has not yet entered a decisive phase, and operations by land troops in New Guinea are limited iff ektefft. On two occasions —in March and early in MayJapanese troops tried to advance south from Lae and Salamaua towards Port Moresby, but both drives were checked by Allied units. The Japanese commmand thereupon decided to change the direction of the blow. At the end of July they landed troops at Buna, on the north-east coast of New Guinea, and a new advance began into the depth of the island towards Port Moresby. They were within 60 miles of their objective when the Allied troops frustrated their attempts for the third time. The comparative lull on land has not been reflected in the air. Battles in the New Guinea skies continue on a wide scale. Nearly every day for over four months Allied aircraft have been bombing Japanese positions in New-Guinea and bases in the Japanese-occupied New Britain, Timor and Solomon Is- ( lands. ALLIED INITIATIVE. After their defeat in the Coral Sea the Japanese made no further efforts to extend in the Australian direction. None of the naval, air and land operations of the last three months has affected the situation as far as Australia is concerned. The Allies availed themselves of the lull to increase their forces and launch a counter-attack On August 8, American naval forces, co-operating with air units, opened an offensive in the Solomon Islands—a move which came as a complete surprise to the Japanese. The target selected for this blow is of particular significance. While they occupy the Tulagi area, the Japanese are in a position ti harry communications of vital importance to the Allies. On the other hand if the Allies can oust the Japanese from Tulagi they will considerably weaken the chain of bases which Japan has created for herself on the approaches to Australia.. Early in June Japanese naval forces landed troops on an extreme point of the western Aleutian islands and on Kiska Island, to' the east. But the seizure of Attu and Kiska Islands brought Japan no substantial advantages, although it improved her position a little in the north Pacific. a Japan’s operations off flje Aleutian Islands coincided with naval battle west of Midway Island which changed the balance of forces in the whole Pacific theatre. The Japanese navy left the south-western Pacific, after suffering serious reverses on the appriaches to Australia.

Having massed fairly big naval forces, the Japanese command moved them eastwards towards Midway Island, but did not succeed in launching a sudden attack. The American command had prepared for the possibility that the Japanese fleet might appear in the central Pacific, and had concentrated considerable naval forces in the area. From June 3 to 6 a vast stretch of water west of Midway was the scene of a naval battle which brought favourable results for the Americans, quite apart from the losses inflicted on the Japanese fleet. The Americans prevented the enemy fleet from reaching the central Pacific and establishing themselves on any bases there. JAPAN'S LOST ADVANTAGES Thus of recent months in the Pacific Japan has suffered a defeat on some sectors, and on others has made no attempt to launch active operations. It is evident that Allied resistance is consistently growing. It is important to remember that Japan’s early successes in the Pacific were largely due to her careful preparations for war and the suddenness of her attack. In eight months of hostilities Japan has to a large extent lost those advantages, although she can still establish overwhelming numerical superiority over the Allies on certain decisive sectors. Further, the great distances separating Japan’s troops from their home bases, and her enormously lengthened communications are creating fresh difficulties for her. JThese are bound to affect future operations. The Japanese navy, because of the losses it' has suffered, is now more than ever in need of air support. The weakening .of Japan’s naval power is having its effect on her offensive capacity. That fact is the background against which the Allied forces are developing their offensive, initiated in the Solomon Islands.